The Veteran's claims for service connection for Ischemic Heart Disease, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, and Type II Diabetes Mellitus have been granted. The claim for service connection for COPD is remanded.
The deciding factor: The Veteran was exposed to herbicide agents during his service in Vietnam, which is presumed to be related to the development of Ischemic Heart Disease, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, and Type II Diabetes Mellitus.
- Claimed conditions
- Ischemic Heart Disease (IHD), Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), Type II Diabetes Mellitus
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 7, 2019
- Citation
- 19116792
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,249 · Granted: 37% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 19116792.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the claim of service connection for COPD due to duty-to-assist errors and a need for a supplemental medical opinion.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for Type II Diabetes Mellitus, Bilateral Lower Extremity Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy (Sciatic Nerve), Erectile Dysfunction, and Bladder Cancer in remission. Effective dates have been set for these awards as of July 14, 2004. The Veteran's claim for higher initial disability ratings and earlier effective dates are being remanded.
- Denied
The Veteran's appeal to reduce the ratings for OSA and COPD with asthma and granuloma of the lung was denied, as well as his attempt to add a claim for service connection for aphasia secondary to TBI. The appeals were dismissed due to untimeliness.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for service connection for COPD is remanded due to a duty to assist error. The Board requests an addendum opinion from a pulmonologist or clinician with appropriate expertise to determine if the Veteran's COPD is etiologically related to his VA conceded TERA exposure, including exposure to TCDD, jet fuel and engine exhaust, hazardous chemicals, lead, vehicle engine exhaust fumes, chemical vapors, oily/hazardous waste, chemical solvents, and compressed gases.
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